A Simple Thanks
by jdd93
Summary: During a post war camping trip with Toph and Sokka, Aang decides to pop a question. No not THE question, but his hearts racing none-the-less. Somewhat Taangy.


**Disclaimer- I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of its characters.**

**This is my first attempt at any fanfiction, and I really hope that you all enjoy or even read it for that matter. So far I haven't read anything along these lines on here, and I'm hoping it's at least a somewhat original idea.**

A Simple Thanks

Her soft emerald eyes danced in the light as she laughed around the low flames of the campfire. The warm glow crept across her porcelain skin accentuating every tiny, delicate feature on her sweet, carefree, and yet strong face.

Plopped down across the fire from her, he couldn't help but admire, entranced by her every move. In the night's darkness, her obsidian hair that sat so serenely in a tight bun atop her head, coupled with the bluish glow of moonlight that trickled through the high canopy of desert pines, somehow seemed a deeper shade than usual. A gentle breeze began to whisk around them releasing her bangs only to break the hypnotizing hold of those intoxicating eyes.

As he was reluctantly released of his trance, he quickly averted his gaze to the shying flames that seeped through the rippling montage of oranges and dull blues of the coals. Noticing for what seemed like the hundredth time that he had once again been staring, she was beginning to get fed up. "What's your deal Twinkle Toes? I can feel your eyes burning on me more than the fire," she said with a smirk as he shifted uncomfortably where he sat.

Her voice was heavenly: a perfect edgy sass. "Huh? What? Oh. . uh, nothin. Just thinkin. . . sorry Toph," the words fumbled from his lips as he struggled for the explanation.

"_Sure_," she replied sarcastically. "Don't go thinking too much. You might hurt yourself," _or get yourself hurt, _she added silently thinking of what she could do the next time she became the center of his attention.

"Sure thing Sifu," he replied with a cheesy smile.

Sparks suddenly surged through the air as Sokka tossed another log on the fire. "Looks like that's the last one. I'm gonna go look for some more. Anybody want to come?" The question went right over Aang's head which was once again mesmerized by the little earth bender across from him.

"I'm good Snoozles," was Toph's response. She was intending to take advantage of the chance to see what was really up with Twinkle Toes.

"Suit your selves then," Sokka announced slightly offended. "Zuko and Katara would if they weren't busy running the Fire Nation together. Well Zuko anyways seeing as Katara's not supposed to be lifting anything too heavy" he added as he stalked off through the trees.

Once she felt Sokka's footsteps start to disappear, she shot up and made the short trip to the other side slugging the shoulder of, and sliding down next to, the verbally silent twenty-year-old. His heart was racing in a nervous frenzy. "So what's buggin you Twinkles? It feels like you're having a heart attack."

"Toph," he said, still debating whether or not to ask the question.

"Just spit it out," she spat, beginning to get annoyed with her long-time friends hesitation.

Feeling it was too late to drop the subject, he went on. "Do you ever wish you could see?"

"What are you talking about? I can see just fine," she joked as she raised her bare feet and wiggled her little toes.

"You know what I mean," he said laughing but quickly becoming serious.

Slowly her feet fell back to the ground. "Haven't we talked about this before? And that still doesn't explain why there's a stampede goin on in your chest like you're about to propose to someone," and after a moment of him hesitating "Oh for spirits sake! That's not what you're doing is it?"

"What! No!" he gasped out, unable to contain his laughter at her last remark. "Well actually ya," he added, "but not that kind of proposal," was thrown out even faster.

"What're you getting at Twinkle Toes?" her eyebrow raised along with an air of suspicion in her voice.

They sat there for a moment as he carefully chose his words. He began to notice how close they were sitting. How she smelled the way it does in a forest after a cleansing rain. She had grown over the years but still resembled the short powerful bender he'd met what seemed to be so many years ago.

Remembering what he was doing he turned to her and continued. "Well, I've been thinking about it a lot over the past few months that if it's possible for me take away someone's bending; to just break that connection in the body by bending their energy, then wouldn't I be able to make connections too."

"I'm not sure that I'm following," she said with a confused look growing on her face.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is: what if I could bend your chi to make the connection to your eyes. Would I be able to make it so you can see?"

She sat there expressionless, contemplating his words for what seemed to Aang to be hours. Then she spoke. "I don't know. That sounds like a longshot. How would you even know how to do something like that?"

"It's about the same as any other bending. You visualize, focus, and motion. It's hard to explain, but when I took away Ozai's bending I could sorta," he searched for the right word "_see_ the way all of his senses were connected with his chi."

Conflicting emotions stormed through her: excitement at the prospect of sight; fear that it wouldn't work. Should she go along with such an idea? How could she say no? She turned her eyes to where she felt his. "So when are we gonna do this?" she said grinning widely.

He couldn't help but smile at her response, but had to assert the gravity of the situation "This could be dangerous if something goes wrong Toph."

"Ya, ya so was letting Snoozles go off on his own in the dark, but you didn't even bat an eyelash at that," She cracked.

"Toph," he said sternly

"All right, all right. I get it Twinkle Toes. Just relax. You're gonna get so tense you might crack and then we'll both be outa luck."

His expression softened. "Okay. We have to make sure there are no distractions." As he said this he raised up his hands in a clapping motion over his head and a rather large earth tent shot up around them. All of the sounds and the breeze of the night instantly ceased, and they were alone. "Are you ready?"

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa_ Casanova, you're gonna have to at least buy me dinner first," she joked. A flush of red burst onto Aang's cheeks as his heart skipped a beat. "Calm down Hot Stuff, I was just kidding," she laughed. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

After recomposing himself, Aang stood and faced Toph. He gently placed a hand, thumb centered, on her forehead, and the other timidly centered on her chest. Her breath hitched, and the two of them began to blush furiously. "Here we go," he said with the reassured confidence of her steady heart-beat.

An immense combination of blue and green light illuminated the solid earth tent seeping into and through every nook and cranny. Aang could feel her heart rate increase if only the slightest bit. A slight smile made its way onto his face at the thought that even her heart did its best to conceal her true emotions. He was slightly taken back, but not surprised, by the power he felt rushing through her as he searched for his goal. Suddenly it appeared; a wavering void in the vast emerald glow. He focused all his energy and mind on that single void and moved his thumb in a delicate sweeping motion across her eyes, never allowing it to leave her face. The void that once stood out among the magnificent light began to melt away and eventually disappeared.

The beautiful luminescence began to subside. As the last strand of light faded away in the dark Toph began to fall forward in a shallow state of consciousness. Aang instantly caught her and took her up in his arms. "Toph? Are you okay? Can you hear me?" he nearly shouted fearing for the worst..

"I'm blind, not deaf Twinkle Toes," she said with a touch of disappointment in her voice.

"So it didn't work." he stated, the disappointment much more evident in his.

"Actually I'm not sure. It seems the same, but somehow . . . _different_."

Aang slapped his forehead. "Toph close your eyes and don't open them until I say so."

"Not until I get a pretty please added onto that" she smirked.

He sighed. "Toph close your eyes and don't open them until I say so _pretty please,_" he repeated while rolling his eyes.

"Eh, Okay why not."

Aang reversed his previous motion and brought down the stone tent, and then eagerly grabbed her hand bringing her up to her feet. He then took her other hand and slowly brought it up to his cheek. "Open your eyes," he whispered.

As Toph opened her eyes there was something other than the vast darkness that had always come with it. Instead there was a fuzzy scene of shadows and shapes she had felt but never seen. As her eyes began to focus she noticed something right where she felt Twinkle Toes' heart beating. She moved her thumb side to side on his cheek and nearly jumped when she realized what. . no, _who_ she was looking at. Her other hand that still lay in his shot up to her mouth as she gasped, but just as soon moved to his face with her other hand.

She traced her hands along his features, soaking them in; his bald head and tattoo; his ears that were once large but now sat perfectly proportional on the sides of his head; his eyes that she knew were a stormy gray from conversations in the past; and finally his lips that, from the moment her second hand touched his face, were parted in a larger than life smile. Completely engulfed in ecstasy and excitement, she clasped her hands behind his neck and pressed her lips tightly against his. She quickly broke away to once again take him in and then squeezed him in a bone crushing hug.

"Thank you Aang," she whispered in his ear unable to contain the tears pouring down her cheeks. "So much," she added emotion staining her voice. His heart fluttered at the sound of her voice saying his name. She could see. Toph Bei Fong could see.

**Thank you for reading. I hope you liked it! Whether you did or not, a review would be much appreciated. So _please_ review! :)**


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